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What have beets done to done deserve their widespread hatred? Just the other day while talking to a friend, I mentioned I was writing about beets and she freely launched into a tirade about how much she detests them. That's too bad, because beets are delicious and quite nutritious. And when roasted and drizzled with olive oil, they have the deep rich hues of a ruby.

The color is more than just captivating; beets along with prickly pears make up the only edible sources of the valuable family of pigments called betalains. Current research is discovering the ability of these pigments to act as powerful antioxidants, helping in the fight against the damage caused by free radicals. Beets also provide potassium, vitamins A and C, magnesium, riboflavin, iron, copper, calcium and zinc.

While beets are pretty to look at, and good for you, betalain pigments do have a couple of negative aspects. First, they tint your hands, countertops and cutting board red and they can stain your clothes. Just take care when peeling or cutting raw beets; wear rubber gloves and an apron. The second negative of beet pigments is that they are water-soluble. This means that they easily dissolve into the water that you cook the beets in. So if you boil peeled beets, their ruby red color is lost to the water and the beets you serve are washed out and dull looking.

One solution is to simply roast the beets whole. Roasting is a dry-heat cooking method: no water used so no loss of water-soluble pigments. And since they're roasted whole, you don't have to deal with getting you hands and equipment dirty by peeling or cutting them. To prepare beets for roasting, simply scrub the skin. Don't peel them or trim off the little tails on the bottom. Remove the greens, but leave an inch or two of the stems to insure that the pigments stay inside the beet. Once the beets are cooked and cooled, simply pull the skins off with your hands. This is the easiest, and to me, the most delicious way to prepare beets.

Betalain pigments also respond well to acidic ingredients. Many recipes call for beets to be cooked with a bit of vinegar. This accomplishes two things. The color, rather than turning a dull brick red, remains a vibrant ruby red and the flavor of the vinegar compliments the sweetness of the beets.

When purchasing beets, think about how you plan on serving them. If you are making a beet slaw and plan on grating them, look for the largest ones you can find. If you will be roasting them whole, try to pick smaller beets that are all approximately the same size so they cook evenly. If you purchase beets with the greens attached, it is best to cut them off as you as you get them home, and serve the greens within a few days. They are similar in flavor to Swiss chard and can be sautéed with garlic and olive oil. The beets themselves can be stored in the refrigerator loosely wrapped for a few weeks.